Amazon Echo Show Gets New Look, Skype Integration

SEATTLE — Amazon has announced a new Echo Show that's not nearly as ugly as its predecessor.

Credit: Tom's GuideAt its hardware event in Seattle today (Sept. 20), Amazon announced the follow-up to last year's display-equipped Alexa gadget that appears to now come in a white model as well as a black one. The device looks much less bulky than the previous model, and incorporates similar mesh covering tfound on the Echo itself.

The new touchscreen Echo Show comes with a built-in smart-home hub, a feature previously only found in the Echo Plus. That means you’ll be able to use it to control smart devices that aren’t Wi-Fi enabled, such as Philips Hue light bulbs.

In addition to the new home controls, the Echo Show comes with an upgraded speaker, provided by what Amazon touts as the “most advanced mic array we know how to build.”

The device comes with some fun new software features, too. You’ll be able to use Skype on the new Echo Show. You could previously use the Show to video call other users with Echo devices, so Skype will significantly broaden the range of who you can call.

Finally, Amazon has added browsers to its touchscreen device, so you’ll be able to surf the web outside of Alexa’s skill offerings.

The new Echo Show costs $229.99. It's available for pre-order now, and will ship next month.

Amazon announced a number of new devices at its Sept. 20 event, including an Alexa-enabled microwave and an upgraded Echo Dot.